Jewells of Thought

Friday was the day Mom had to reschedule an appointment from the day before. If Dad hadn’t have had an agenda of his own that day she would have made it Thursday afternoon, but she canceled it and was fortunately able to find an opening on that Friday morning.

Sometimes I feel like I am the last one in the family to know certain things. It wasn’t until we got to Mom’s appointment that Friday morning that Dad was actually off. Anyway I went with her because her toe had been angry red for days. She had mentioned it, more than once. Yet it took me more than twice to remind her to get into the Clinic for a checkup. Then she still didn’t think it important enough on Thursday to go it was still fortunate for her there was an opening the next day.

While all of this was happening another issue was coming to a boil almost literally. My family and I have had to deal with mental illness in various forms since I was a teenager. Those years were difficult for me and I couldn’t really converse or discuss any of what was going on with many people at all. College kind of changed that when I found out I was not alone in my grief. There is more on this subject coming.

Mom’s Toe Lady, the Nurse Practitioner, was glad we came in. Mom being diabetic is in a higher level of observation for feet issues due to that diagnosis. Thank goodness, years ago her Grandma’s foot was saved by Dr. Parmenter who also was a diabetic. She nearly had to have her foot amputated and we have had other family members lose their feet due to the very same issue we were afraid of at this appointment. When in doubt make an appointment with a qualified Podiatrist. In fact today Mom just got her results from the X-rays that were taken on Friday. Thank goodness no broken bones, but they did find arthritis. Since it was hard to know for certain whether there was an infection or a broken bone she was treated for an infection and the x-ray was to be cautious.

Still we didn’t exactly expect a Clinic visit to end up back at the hospital again. Seriously this made day number 3 for me to be back in the Greene County General Hospital in a row. I do not love any hospital that much. However, they were simply just a short 30 seconds away from the office. We do usually go to Sullivan for our labs and x-rays, but it made more sense to do the shorter route. Plus we were headed to Odon Meat Locker for a meat run.

Granted I am a little more comfortable with the hospital after all this time I have spent there recently it’s still not my favorite place to be. I could say this is where it ends since the x-rays were the end of the hospital visit that day. Yet I got discovered almost twice…

Thursday I had to make a judgement call. It was the coldest wintry day we had had so far. It was even snowing. I had just received my therapy for the day and last one of the week. Like I had said in the earlier article my foot hurt Wednesday night so I asked my Uncle to drive me this time. Thursday night is our church Bible Study that my cousin Abram has started. I really didn’t want to miss it again like I did when Mom was in the ER two weeks earlier. Anyhow I decided I needed to rest my foot let the therapy work and not drive that evening.

When the x-ray was over and we had stopped at Burger King for a little bite we headed south to Odon. Mom had driven to her appointment she claimed her toe didn’t hurt it just looked really angry. So that meant I was driving to Odon… I felt the drive south more. So once again we changed places and Mom drove towards Sullivan to get her medicine. While we were at Odon though I was discovered by one of the church ladies that had gone to the Bible Study the night before. We have two ladies named Jeannie so this is Jeannie 1 and her husband found me after I had promised to be there the night before. I love her though she is such a sweetheart and is very much part of our family.

Then medicine was needed and regular groceries were needed so we had to go towards Sullivan. I had to look twice at the car I was next to but she was looking so intently at something she didn’t notice me. I went inside with Mom and saw her husband at the counter paying for something and about ready to leave the store. It was another lady who had most likely been at the Bible Study the night before but I was able to slide right by without getting a look. Gloria and Louie sit right in front of me and Grandma during church and I also sing alto with her in the front row of the choir most every Sunday morning.

I just had to laugh a little bit. I love these couples and especially these ladies have always felt like family through my Grandparents talking about them and my visits to the church through the years. It’s these little moments that help when the other moments end up like this next article.